Let's Paint Some Tee Shirts

Sometimes I think my clothes are so boring.....I just have to pick up a paintbrush and start jazzing things up.

Have A Great Day.

Laraine

The Rose Breasted Grosbeak

Imagine my surprise I realized I was less than 3 feet from this beautiful bird on my bird feeder. He just sat there and looked at me, almost like he was tame. He is a rose breasted grosbeak. The female looks like a very large sparrow. They are almost as large as a blackbird without the long tail. They appear heavy bodied. I can only hope they build a nest near by so I can see them again.

South Texas has been in a drought for at least the last four or five years. My grass has died off, as well as most of my tropical foliage plants. I have had to dig up my hibiscus plants and re-potted them in large pots so I can move them out of the direct sun and keep them watered. Actually I enjoy all the plants on the patio, where I can keep an eye on them.

Have a wonderful day !

Laraine

Coming Up For Air.................

The weather is getting warmer so I have decided to stop working so hard and just take a few days off.

I have repainted both the computer room and the spare bedroom a lovely shade called "Mature Spanish Chestnut" with a bright creamy white on the doors and trim.

Remixed the kitchen , living room and master bedroom paint , in small cans, for touch ups...and repainted all three doors in the master bedroom with that lovely creamy white as well as the trim in the master bathroom..

In the midst of all this painting , Dara requested a painting of a peacock feather for a girlfriends birthday present.

Guess you could say if I was not painting.....I was resting from painting.

We are expecting good weather into the weekend so I think I'll just putter around in the yard. I have some tomatoes already planted.

Have a great day !!! Laraine

Refinished Computer Room Studio Room Chair

While thrifting last month, I came across a very nice dining room chair that would work in my computer room. I got it cheep ($12.00 ) because the seat had a chewed place on the side, almost like a dog chewed it. I recovered the seat with some burlap from a large vintage coffee bean bag. I had enough material left over to recover another smaller chair that will go in the spare bedroom.

I have repainted both the computer room and the spare bedroom in the new taupe walls and white trim style. Both rooms look clean and fresh. I will post photos when I am finished.

Have a great creative day!!

Laraine

Cowgirl Chic

Dark wash blue jeans.....poly ruffel blouse...vintage "Vera" scarf...silver and coral necklace.....one of my handmade frozen charlotte necklaces....green quartz necklace....Leather and conch belt.......cowgirl hat.

have a great day !

Laraine

Cowgirl Chic

Big cat print dress with black crepe gores.....Vintage cat print bracelet and matching clip on earrings.....faux turquoise bracelet.....real turquoise necklace......Fancy white cowgirl hat. I will probably wear sandels since it is warm in South Texas.

Have a great day !!

Laraine

A Sharp Yank On My Chain

It happens very once in a while. I was talking with my daughter, and mentioned I might buy some new tee shirts. Remarkable...she said why ??? When you come to visit, you always wear the same thing.

Had I fallen into a rut ???

I decided to dress the way I did when I first came to TEXAS. I call it Cowgirl Chic. I have laid out an outfit to wear the next time I go out. A cream color cotton skirt.....long denim blouse.....Leather and conch belt...loads of turquoise jewelry with either my boots or new sandels ( just painted my toenails )

I here by make a promise.......I will take more care when I go out to look nice...polished...finished. No longer will a tee shirt and jeans do.

Thanks for the "Jerk" darling daughter.

Have a great day !!

Laraine

New Years Thrifting

Can you believe I purchased the chair for $5.00 at a tag sale. It's fine for now......but I plan to recover it with some burlap coffee bean sack material, that I bought a while ago on etsy.

The sweet little suitcase was found at a local resale shop for only $12.00. I noticed the shop on Friday when I was at my Doctors office. My appointment was pushed back till Monday because so many people down here are sick, and my doctor was running very behind.

I was all dressed up with no place to go....so when I noticed the resale shop, I stopped in.

The owner told me , her son buys abandoned storage units like they do on "Storage Wars".

I think the suit case is really a doll case. It is made of wood. Lined in blue velvet on the inside and leather and brass on the outside.

I also noticed a gigantic resturant frying pan.....big enough to fry a full pound of bacon without crowding and several nice orphin chairs (all priced less than $20.00) that would work well in my office.

Thrifting gets into your blood and I have not had a thrifting fix since my local shop closed before Christmas. I am hooked on thrifting and have not the strength to fight it.

Have a Wonderful Day !

Laraine

The Merriest Christmas

We had the best Christmas ever. The Turkey was perfect ( as always ).......and the little ones were tracking Santa on NORAD as they made cookies for him and set out baby carrotts for the raindeer.

I am now back home with something like a terrible head cold. We have had winds coming down from the north laden with cedar pollen that just drives my sinses crazy.

Hope your Christmas was as wonderful as mine.

Have a great day !

Laraine

OH Happy Happy Joy Joy !!

One of the nice things about living in Texas, is the fact that roses bloom in December.

My Broken tooth was removed yesterday. It was a tough job for the dentist because he kept lowering my chair and tilting my head back. I almost expected him to put his knee on my chest and give it the old heave ho. He had to cut it up in little pieces in order to get it all out.

My upper jaw is sore today but all in all it wasn't so bad. I'm going to make an appointment after the first of the year to some more work done.

Have a great day

Laraine

My New Best Most Favorite Color

The color is called Navajo Sand and it is my new best most favorite color. I am lusting to repaint my livingroom but it is tiersome to remove all my things from the walls. Oh well.....I guess I'll do a little each day and probably repaint after Christmas.

Believe it or not.....when talking with Dara yesterday, Navajo Sand is the very same color she chose to repaint her kitchen and livingroom. Great minds think alike!!!

Have a great Day.....I'm off to wrap presents

Laraine

Trading Places

I traded tables with Dara this Thanksgiving. After all....she has the bigger family and since hers is the house we celebrate Holidays at, I thought she could make better use of my larger table and chairs.
I am looking forward to refinishing the smaller set. But for now, one of my vintage tablecloths will do.
I'll pick up the fourth chair when I go up to San Antonio for Christmas.
Have a great day!
Laraine

The Little Tree in the Living Room

Just a quick post..........these are just some of the handmade Christmas ornaments I made this year. If I was feeling any better......I would be a super hero. Having a tooth pulled at 12:00 today. Wish me good luck.....Laraine

I thought I would try and make an old fashioned Victorian spun cotton Christmas ornament. You make a human stick figure out of pipe cleaners...then begin wrapping mummy like with cotton batting strips. The clothing is added later as well as the fancy trim. I think my first try turned out pretty good.

Have a great day

Laraine

Christmas Ladies

Feel free to use these two jpg's of beautiful Christmas ladies in your Christmas projects.

Have a Wonderful Day !!

Laraine

Sweet Little Christmas Blue Bird

Hayley and I made this little blue bird ornament when I went to visit for Thanksgiving. It's very easy. All you need are a felted wool or cashmere sweater..a sharp pair of sissors..fancy trim...a small twig...fabric glue..some buttons or beads for the eyes ..cotton balls for the stuffing and clips to hold the bird closed untill it drys and a small strip of lace or ribbon to tie around the birds neck.

Using the templace cut out the back and front of the bird as well as two wings. Put glue around all the edges of the birds body..remember to glue trim hanger in middle of body and twig on bottom. Put the two pieces together holding them with clips untill dry ( we used clothespins). Add the wings and the beads for eyes. When all is dry add a small snip of lace or ribbon around the neck.......Sweet and very simple.

Have a wonderful day

Laraine

Santa Statement Necklaces

Last week, I made two Santa Statement Necklaces using lightweight plastic Santa heads. Much to my happy surprise they both sold almost at once.

Have A Wonderful Day !!

Laraine

It's Been So Long !

I cannot believe I have been away from my blog for so long. Summer has faded and we are enjoying a cool fall on the Texas coast. Little "Sport" and "Tibadeaux" are wearing sweaters since I trimmed their coats short.

I am feeling much better since I found a RA Doctor in Corpus Christi. She was able to diagnose me after a few minuets of my telling her my symptoms. I am on medication and sleeping much better. I am regaining my strength and am looking forward to going up to San Antonio to see my daughter and her beautiful family for Thanksgiving.

I am sharing with you photo's of a plant I grew from seed. It is now as tall as me, with such beautiful and exotic orange flowers. The original plant grew in my neighbors yard. One day on a trip to the mail box...I noticed the green seed pods had turned brown and were splitting open. I gathered a good two handfuls of pods and let the sit in a envelope until I planted them last spring. I am constantly amazed at how easy it is to grow things in Texas.

Have a great day !

Laraine

Working on a Problem

I must admit I have had to step away from my blog to work on a problem.
You may already know that I took a fall when my office chair broke in half. The break was caused by age not weight....so don't even go there. I had been having trouble with my shoulders and had cortisone shots for the pain and improved mobility. Sadly all that work was undone when I tried to break my fall with my arms.
If having arms that I cannot raise above my shoulders wasn't enough, I suddenly started having almost the very same type of pain in my hips. Getting up and walking has become a problem.
My Doctor and I are trying to find out what the problem is. Blood tests were taken in an effort to rule out RA. In the mean time I am taking pain pills and trying to make the best of it.
Since I hate to talk about my day to day "problems" and try my best to keep my blog on a happy note.....sharing my love of white washed country antiques.....my home....my animals....my art and handmade jewelry, I have decided to step away from my blog in order to concentrate all my efforts on solving this "problem"
Have a Great Day and if you have a free moment please send some good vibes my way.
Laraine

Sweet Tuffy

My dearest Tuffy.....I am missing you so very much.

Have a wonderful day !!

Laraine